The Royal Pet
by NihonBara
Summary: To save her sister, Amelia got captured by the enemy and taken before 12 year old Prince Ivan. Mistaken for a boy, she's now Alfred F. Jones, Ivan's new pet. As they grow up and their bodies change, it gets harder to hide her gender. What will happen if Ivan finds out? Child/ Fantasy world AU Eventual Rus/US
1. The Unbreakable Pet

**The Royal Pet**

* * *

Note

This story is pretty PG-13. While there are dark elements referenced in the background, there is nothing gratuitous in it. This isn't about kinks and fetishes. This is the story of two children who grow up and closer as their story progresses and builds to the final confrontation. Unfortunately, the circumstances that unite them also threaten to divide them.

* * *

 _Summary_

 _To save her sister, Amelia got captured by the enemy and taken before 12 year old Prince Ivan. Mistaken for a boy, she's now Alfred F. Jones, Ivan's new pet. As they grow up and their bodies change, it gets harder to hide her gender. What will happen if Ivan finds out?_

 _Child/ Fantasy world AU Eventual Rus/US_

* * *

Story One

* * *

A somber sky cast a grim pallor over everything.

I will not cry, Amelia Williams told herself over, holding her chin high.

Dumb and Ugly — what she had named the two soldiers escorting her — walked on either side, gripping her upper arms, their rough fingers biting into the fabric of her dark brown coat. They led her down the main road of her destroyed home town. Charred husks — formerly homes — stunk the crisp, autumn air with smoke and burnt flesh. Blood stains and bodies littered the ground.

It had been a massacre.

Soldiers in black tabards and chain mail scurried about, overturning debris, hunting for any survivors to round up or kill. They only spared the children. On their chests gleamed the Silver Grizzly, sigil of House Braginski.

General Winter, the cruel king of the Northern Empire, had done this for seemingly no reason. Her village had done nothing. They had been a peaceful folk.

Her gaze lingered on the dead face of Mrs. Smilding whose grey eyes stared unseeing at the grey sky. Amelia had bought flowers from her once. Nearby was the prone form of the town butcher, Mr Spalding, recognizable by his bald head and pudgy body.

Amelia blinked back tears.

I will not cry, she reminded herself.

A glance down a side street showed children — her peers — being lined up and clapped in chains. Many were sobbing and hugging each other. They were now slaved of the Winter King.

I will not cry, she warned herself, but some slipped down her round cheeks anyway.

Her left knee ached where she had scraped it, ripping open a hole in her woolen breeches, when she fell into a ditch trying to escape. Her boots squelched in the bloodstained mud. Earlier it had rained hard, as if the sky knew of the coming slaughter.

When they entered Foursquare Plaza, a place where many festivals had been celebrated, Dumb and Ugly halted. Ahead, tents were being set up. The army would camp here. One tent stood out, being three times the size of the others. Thirty to forty horses were gathered outside, some with mounted knights in black amor, breastplates composes of plates riveted outward. The black banner of the Silver Grizzly fluttered in the breeze.

A strange sight caught her eyes: a finely-dressed boy seated on a tall, black well-armored horse. He looked of some importance.

When he turned and looked at her with his cold eyes, the same violet shade as her sister, Madeline's, her breath caught. Amelia felt pinned to the spot by the force of those eyes. He looked only a little older than her, but those did not look like the eyes of a child.

He had an otherworldly look, as if an ethereal creature form of mist. A thick, beige scarf covered his shoulders and lower mouth, one too large for a child. Something he could grow into, just like the dark beige coat he wore. She imagined he would be very handsome when the baby fat left his round face.

She dropped her gaze to escape the pressure of those eyes. They were still latched on her.

So focused on the boy, Amelia had hardly noticed the man standing in front of the boy's horse. A man dressed in a scarlet-red silk jacket that was buttoned up on one side. He had jet black hair held back in a ponytail that tumbled down his back.

He turned, frowned, and came over to Amelia, eyeing her up and down. She had never seen anyone like him before, except a merchant from the Eastern Lands that had come here many years ago. This man had a thin face, sharp cheekbones, skin colored like cream, and almond-shaped eyes.

"What is your business here?" the man asked in a melodious voice. His fingernails were long, like talons, and painted red. He had a faint accent.

"Forgive our intrusion, Lord Yao," Ugly said, tilting his fat head forward. "We discovered this brat in the woods. She looks about ten.

Eleven, thank you very much! Amelia nearly said.

Yao's oaken-brown eyes raked over her. Suddenly, like a snake, his hand snapped forward. He moved fast and slick. He gripped her chin, fingernails digging into the sides of her cheeks as he pulled her face from side to side, examining Amelia like one might a livestock you wanted to purchase.

With a shake of his head, he snapped, "Fools! This is a boy!"

Dumb and Ugly stared at her, as if seeing her for the first time. The accusation of 'you tricked us' clear in their eyes. Too stunned herself, Amelia stood there. While she did keep her wheat-blond hair chopped short and she always wore boy clothes and she was stronger than all the boys her age and very muscular, she had never been mistaken as a boy before. Everyone in the village had known.

Madeline had harped on her for years to put on a dress and grow out her hair. Something Amelia had refused to do.

"You're a lad!" Ugly sneered, his piggish features squeezing into a scowl.

Her next words would decide her fate. Rumors and dark stories flashed in her head, tales of what happened to female slaves. Preferring a life of hard labor over that fate, she forced out a laugh.

Ugly's expression darkened.

Baring her teeth in a grin, Amelia said, "Of course, I'm a boy! Are you blind? Or just stupid?"

"Why you little!" Ugly lifted up his hand to strike.

He froze when Yao said dismissively, "Enough. Take him to be with the others. This is a waste of time."

From the gleeful promise in Ugly's eyes, Amelia knew they would beat her badly before she joined the others. She started to resist, afraid of that awful look when a soft, stern voice called, "Halt."

Ugly, Dumb, Yao, and Amelia all turned and looked up to see the beautiful boy guiding his horse closer. He pulled down his scarf, revealing a gentle, disarming smile, yet there was something off in it. Something that disturbed her.

"Prince Ivan?" Yao said, bowing to the waist. "Is something the matter?"

Ugly and Dumb dropped to one knee, dragging Amelia down with them into a crouch. She shifted to one knee as well, stealing glances through her sweaty, dirt-stained bangs.

"You," Ivan said, pointing at Amelia who jumped a little in surprise. "What is your name?"

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. For the first time in her life, she felt at a loss for words.

"Answer his Highness!" Ugly growled, twisting her arm painfully.

She gasped, refusing to cry out.

"Stop," Ivan warned icily. Ugly let go, paling at the menace in the boy's voice. "Do that again, and _you_ will lose your hand."

"I beg your forgiven, your Highness," Ugly said quickly, becoming meek in an instant.

Both Dumb and Ugly let go of her. She rather enjoyed the sight of the two about to wet themselves.

Reluctant to look meet Ivan's eyes, she stared at his chin.

"I'm A—" She froze, realizing she had nearly said 'Amelia'. Quickly, she answered, "Alfred. Alfred F. Jones."

He had been the village kook who died a couple years ago. Everyone insisted he had a few cogs missing in his head since he would always claim to be "the world's greatest hero" and "the personification of America", a country that did not exist. However, Amelia had loved his wild stories and eccentric ways.

"Alfred," Ivan said in a mulling way. "A strange name. How old are you?"

"I just turned eleven three moons ago," she answered, saying 'eleven' very loudly and throwing Ugly a glare.

"A year younger than I," Ivan said. Those eyes studied her, and she could see he was plotting something evil. "How did you find him?"

Yao rounded on Ugly and Dumb who flinched.

"In the woods!" Dumb said, mumbling his words. "He hid out there."

Amelia swallowed hard, staring at the mud. She had not been alone. Madeline and her had been playing the forest when they heard noises from the town and saw it under attack by the Great Bear Empire. Then they saw soldiers coming over, and took cover.

Close to being discovered, Amelia had kissed Maddy goodbye, whispered 'Go to the Frog Empire and find our Uncle', and then bolted out. She had led the soldier as far from her twin sister as she could, hoping that her sister would be safe.

As long as Maddy's safe, I will not cry, Amelia thought grimly. She was her sister's hero after all.

"Why were you out there?" Ivan asked.

Her blood went cold. She could not risk exposing Maddy.

"Trying to escape," Amelia said.

That gaze burned through her, as if he could tell there was more.

"Master Yao," Ivan finally said. "I want this boy."

Her jaw dropped. Everyone, even Yao, looked shocked. The man quickly masked it.

"This urchin?" Yao asked.

"Da," Ivan said. She didn't know what that meant. "He looks… fun. With my sisters sent away, I'll have no one to play with in the Winter. He has muscles. He'll be a good sparring partner."

Sparring? Amelia was confused.

"Your father may not allow it. He was not happy with how your last pet broke."

 _Broke?_ Amelia's mind fixed on that.

"Father won't care. This one's just a slave. And it wasn't my fault my last pet broke. He shouldn't have tried to escape down the tower."

"Lord Ivan, forgive me saying this, but all your pets try to escape. This one will be no exception. Look at the defiance in his eyes." Yao waved a hand at Amelia. "He'll be trouble."

Amelia hated how they talked about as though she was not present. Her hands curled into fists.

"My pets always flee," Ivan sad sadly. "This one will be different. I will train him well. Besides, the ones most difficult to tame are the most worthwhile."

I'm not cattle! Amelia wanted to shout. She hated how they talked about her. It also terrified her.

What evil plans did he have for her?

"As you wish, my lord." Yao bowed and then waved for Amelia to stand. She glanced around at Ugly and Dumb and slowly rose. He patted her cheek and said, "Congratulations, young Alfred, you are now the property of Prince Ivan of House Braginski. Fortune must be shining on you."

Somehow, she did not feel that true. Her fingernails dug painfully into her palms.

 _I'll never be his._

* * *

Note: Apologies if there are any slip-ups on the use of "he" and "she". I write Amelia with "she", but I have to remember in the dialogue that the others believe her a boy and will use "he". I have a very bad tendency to slip up and have Yao and Ivan call Amelia by "her". If you notice any, please let me know. Those are mistakes.


	2. Collared

Collared

* * *

The skin of her neck itched from the metal collar around her throat. A cloth that Amelia had inserted gave some relief, but it still chafed. A long chain connected the collar to a wrist band that Prince Ivan held.

She walked beside him as he rode his horse. After four days of this, her feet had blisters and her clothes smelled ripe. Amelia could not disrobe to wash them or herself, or she risked exposure. Urinating was troublesome, and she controlled how much water she drank to regulate when she needed to go.

This left her feeling thirsty most of the day.

However, this paled in comparison to the horror of meal time when she had to sit on the ground beside Ivan's stool. She would be in the midst of eating when the bastard would sometimes reach down and _pat_ her head. Or _pet_ as she thought of it. If he rubbed her belly or threw a stick for her to fetch, Amelia might snap and start punching him.

At night they tied her to a tree, always in sight of Ivan's tent. Guards always watched. They would leave her a bedroll and leather flask of water. She did most of her drinking then when she had cover of night to pee.

In those first few days, the two hardly spoke beyond Ivan asking a few questions about her life. She mostly lied, and answered as briefly as possible.

During those long, silent periods, she wondered about Madeline. Was she safe? Was she en route to the Frog Kingdom? Amelia often fell asleep at night watching the stars, thinking of her sister. She missed Madeline's warm hugs and shy smiles. Most of all, Amelia missed freedom.

The procession of soldiers split the first day, the children of her village going east, and on the third day, King Winter and most of the army headed north. Ivan and his company headed west.

It baffled her why so large a force was used against a small village. She had many questions that she dared not ask.

The pale noon soon bore down. Clumps of hard-packed snow from a snowstorm a week ago hid in deep shadows of the woods surrounding the road.

Amelia kept her gaze ahead, but every now and again her curiosity won over and she stole a glance at Prince Ivan. He was taller than her, more broad-shouldered, baby-faced, and had rather long eyelashes.

To her horror, she sometimes caught him doing the same. When this happened, they usually snapped their attention ahead and pretended nothing occurred.

This time, however, Ivan asked, "So… do you like chess?"

Amelia nearly stumbled. She stared up at him. "Do I like what?"

"Chess."

"What's chess? Is that like cheese?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "No, no. It's a game of white pieces and black. Certain pieces make certain moves. The game ends when one side traps the king in checkmate."

Amelia shrugged.

"It's a fun game. I love it almost as much as vodka," Ivan said.

"Vodka?" She quirked an eyebrow. "You drink vodka."

"Of course."

"Aren't you too young for that?" They never let Amelia drink in her village. They always told her she was just a kid.

He laughed, a deep rumbling in his chest. His shoulders shook from the force of it. "Where I come from, boys are never too young for vodka. At Castle Starkhorn, you can try some."

"Really?" she said in surprise. "No one ever let me drink before. They said I was too young."

"When I was nine, my father put some in front of me and said, 'drink this. It'll put hair on your chest'." Ivan said.

"And did it?"

"A few," Ivan said, patting his chest. "Do you like astronomy?"

"What's astro… nomy?" she struggled with the word.

"The study of stars. You looked at the celestial bodies."

"Really? That's sound fun," she said, unable to stop her mouth from grinning. "There's a study for that? Why does no one tell me these things?"

Ivan's smile widened. "Then it's settled. We'll have so much fun. I'll have Yao teach you on chess. I hope you are at least entertaining. All my other pets were… disappointing at the game."

"What do I get when I win?" she asked.

Ivan went rigid, eyes widening slightly. He blinked as he stared at her, then doubled over in his saddle laughing as if her suggestion hysterical. He threw back his head, laughing in that soft, almost eerie way.

"What's so funny?" Amelia demanded, crossing her arms.

Ivan's gaze flew to her. Laughter bubbled out and then he bent forward, clutching his stomach. He threw his head back with that soft, eerie laughter.

"You. That you could ever defeat me."

"I could," Amelia said defensively. "I'm good at games. Once I learned Cups, no one could beat me. And dice… forget it. I ruled." She jerked a thumb at her chest and puffed it out proudly.

"Chess is not some street game. It requires intelligence and strategy."

"Games are all the same. Bet I'll crush you one day." She swung her arms from side to side. "I'm good at sports and games."

"That's quite a boast," Ivan said, lifting a silver-white eyebrow. "You'll never defeat me."

"Wanna bet?" she asked, tilting her head in a pose of 'come at me'.

"What do you want?"

"Freedom," she said, touching her collar. "I want to be allowed to go free."

Ivan looked away for a moment in thought before he turned back. "Very well, _If,"_ he said that word with extreme doubt, "You ever win, I'll let you go."

She nearly tripped. Heart hammering, Amelia stared up at him. "Would you really? Do you mean it?"

He tugged on the collar, shifting in his seat. He sat up straighter and put a hand over his heart.

"I swear it on the honor of House Braginski, upon the blood of my ancestors, that if you, Alfred F. Jones, should ever defeat me once in chess, I will let you go. But that will _never_ happen."

Amelia gaped.

"Happy?" Ivan asked.

Amelia swallowed hard and nodded. She turned away, blinking away her tears. Most of all, she did not want him to see her blush. She always went red-faced when too happy.

"And what do I get in return?" Ivan asked.

She forced her gaze back up. "My obedience?"

"I get that anyway."

"What do you want?"

"Your promise that you will not attempt to escape. Ever."

She stared at him. Mind contemplating what she was about to agree to. Slowly, she placed her hand over her heart and said, "I, Alfred F. Jones, swear upon the honor of… erm… the House of Jones," he snickered at that, "that I will remain your companion and playmate until the day I whoop your butt in Chess and turn you into a sobbing puddle of defeat."

"That was…" he began, "an interesting vow."

"It was all Alfred," she said.

"Funny, I've never heard of House Jones."

"Just wait," she said with a wink and a grin.

They shared a smile, then realized what both had done and turned away.

She cleared her throat. "You'll be begging me for mercy one day."

Ivan giggled, or that's what it sounded like. It was a weird 'ku-ku-ku' sounding laugh.

She glanced over her shoulder, staring in the direction of the village, hoping Madeline was well. Amelia would win her freedom in this Chess.

 _Wait for me Maddy. We'll meet again. I promise_.


	3. Blistering Affair

**Story Three**

Blistering Affair

* * *

Note # 1 — Would have posted this two days ago, but fanfiction would not let me onto the site. Not even to look at other stories. It finally started working an hour ago. :/

* * *

The days blended one into the other. The grueling march went on and on, but one day the giant blister on her left heel burst. Pain rocketed up her spine, her knees nearly buckled.

Had Ivan not been turned left, deeply engaged in a conversation with Master Yao, he might have seen the pained expression on Amelia's face in that instant. He might have seen her nearly collapse.

When he did finally glance at her, perhaps feeling a jerk on the chain, she had regained her friendly, grinning mask. He studied her for a moment, as if suspecting something, then turned back to Yao.

At first, the loss of pressure in her heel felt nice. She felt better than she had in days. Then it began to drizzle and her socks became damp.

Despite drying them out during the night, they were still damp the next day and they smelled foul. The skin around her open wound had reddened and turned itchy.

She marched anyway, hiding her discomfort behind a grinning face. After all, what choice did a slave have?

By noon, every step felt like a hot knife being rammed into her heel. The pain spread up her spine. A fever developed. The ground wobbled and swayed.

Wiping away sweat from her brow, Amelia trudged on, refusing to show weakness. What would they do if she passed out? Would they kill her? She was only a slave.

Overhead a gossamer- grey clouds veiled the sun, dropping the temperature. As the ground rose up and up towards a sloping gap between two jagged snow-capped peaks, the forest thinned and the trees turned stubby.

A jerk on her chain caused Amelia to look up at Ivan and realize he had been calling her name. His silver-white eyebrows drew together.

"Are you ill?" he asked.

"No," Amelia said quickly, shaking her head. She worked to stay steady on her feet. She blinked the sweat out from her eyes. "Just a little hot is all."

"Master Yao," Ivan said, pulling on his reins and bringing his horse to a halt. "Order a break."

"Yes, m'lord," Yao said from the other side before turning his brown gelding around to face the column. He yelled commands in another language.

Amelia's heart picked up. She swallowed hard.

"This way," Ivan said, tugging on her collar as he trotted his horse of the dirt road to a granite protrusion jutting from the steadily inclining mountainside.

He heart hammered. What would he do to her? Would he put her down like a lame animal? Her legs felt like led as she walked, fearful it might be to her death.

"Sit down and rest," Ivan ordered.

She stared at him blankly, unsure if she heard correctly.

"Sit down," he said sternly, leaning toward her. She gave him an unsure look, then slowly sat down. "And rest. Relax."

Eyes fixed on him, she leaned against the rock, almost collapsed against it. Her leg and foot throbbed. Wanting never to wake, she shut her eyes.

She must have dozed. She woke to her shoes being removed and Yao knelt in front of her with a grave expression. Ivan stood beside her, arms crossed, looking very troubled.

Panicking, Amelia tried to stand until Ivan's hand pressed on her shoulder forcing her back down.

Yao reached for the top of her left sock, nose crinkling and peeled it back.

"No, don't…" she trailed off in horror what he uncovered.

"My, my." Yao shook her the sock away, he told a guard standing nearby. "The socks will need to be disposed of."

She paled, staring at her badly swollen foot, the wound on her heel was pus-filled and oozing. When had it become so bad?

After removing her right sock, Yao gently turned her foot to the side, examining the infection. She sucked in through her teeth, shuddering at the pain of that small movement.

"How did you walk on this?"

"You should not have kept quiet," Ivan said.

"B-But…" she glanced helplessly between them. "It was just a blister."

Yao sighed, shaking his head.

"Can you fix this, Master Yao?" Ivan asked.

Fix it? Amelia wondered. Not let's get rid of this slave with a possible gimp? Would they really waste time on her?

"Not without delay. We may not reach Castle Black until dark," Yao said. "But if this is not treated now, he'll lose the foot."

Amelia went cold.

"Do what must be done," Ivan said grimly.

Amelia swallowed hard.

"I'll need my tools," Yao said, standing up and staring at Amelia who drank in his every word with rising water. "And hot water. The blisters and wounds must be lanced and cleaned out."

Amelia leaned away, back pressing into the granite.

Yao removed a small knife from inside his sleeve. She stared at its dark blade with widening eyes.

"Oh, and we'll need a piece of wood for him to bite into, and someone to restrain him," Yao said, adding, "The next part will not be pleasant for your pet."

Amelia wanted to scream, understanding what Yao planned to do.


	4. Our Home

_Madeline walked in a white dress, back to Amelia until her sister cried out, "Maddy!"_

 _Then Maddy turned, and looked back with round, violet-tinged eyes, a sad smile curving her small mouth. She faded into the blackness, or rather it devoured her whole._

 _"Come back!" Amelia cried, held back by some forced wrapped her wrist. "Don't go!"_

 _She struggled, trying to wrench her arm free._

 _"Stay," said a soft voice. Amelia looked back to see Ivan behind her, his hand clamped around her wrist._

 _"Let me go!" she screamed._

 _He shook his head, smirking softly. "But you're my pet."_

 _"Maddy!" She turned back, throwing out her hand, stretching as far as she could toward her sister._

 _Glittering tears slipped down Madeline's cheeks, puffy in a way that gave her a doll-like appearance. Then she vanished._

 _"Maddy!"_

* * *

Amelia woke in a panic. Cool hands clamped on her forearms to steady her, but this only alarmed her further. She struggled, nearly falling off the horse.

Her mind reeled.

Why was she on a horse?

Even worse, Amelia was not alone on the saddle. A warm chest pressed at her back. She leaned forward, her front digging into the saddle horn as she put as much space between her and the person riding behind her.

"Ah, you're awake," a voice said cheerfully in her ear. She recognized that sweet tone.

Ivan?

She craned her neck around, twisting in her seat. He tilted his head, smiling gently. Her mouth fell open. All the questions that wanted to spring out of her throat bottle necked there.

Amelia scrambled to remember how this happened.

She turned away to hide her blush. His arms caged around her as he held the reins, his scarf partly draped over her shoulder. Her heart hammered, blood rushing to her face.

The last thing she remembered was biting into a piece of cedar and being held down as Yao forcefully cleaned the infection. It had like like a hot poker being stabbed into her foot. Somewhere in her screaming she had blacked out.

"You passed out," Ivan explained, as if reading her mind. She still when his breathe tickled her right ear. "You woke at the perfect time."

Hours had passed. It was late afternoon and they were about to crest that gap she had seen from afar earlier.

Why am I on your horse? Amelia wanted to ask. Wouldn't anyone else do? Was Ivan that possessive of his "pets" that even sharing a saddle with another was unacceptable?

Her sore throat ached, probably from the screaming and that draught Yao forced down her throat. However, her fever was gone and she felt better.

"If you let me down, I can walk down," she said, voice gravely and horse. She coughed a couple times as she spoke.

"I'm afraid not. Look at your feet."

When she did, she swallowed hard. They hung out over the sides of the rose, her breeches rolled up to mid-shin. Cloth bandages tightly wrapped her feet.

But she still had her feet.

Thank goodness, Amelia thought in relief.

"Why did you help me?" she asked, the first time she had really initiated a conversation with Ivan. "I'm no one to you."

"That's not true." Her heart skipped. "You're my pet." She felt a sudden disappointment. "And a good owner takes care of their pets. If their dog gets a thorn in their paw, the owner should pull it out."

So I'm a dog? Her hands clenched the saddlehorn.

"Don't be afraid in the future to tell me when you're hurt," Ivan said. "I'll never leave you for dead."

She stared ahead, deciding to change the subject. "Don't I smell bad, my lord? Should I not ride elsewhere?"

"Have you smelled most of the soldiers here?" Ivan said. "Bathing is often not an option. It is a reality of travel. One gets used to it."

She had no response to that. She could not relax with Ivan seated behind her, his warm scarf dangling down her right side. It felt soft and finely-woven.

Stupid feet! Stupid blisters! she grumbled in her head. Stupid, stupid Ivan!

And why did Ivan's chest feel so toned for a twelve-year old? How could a boy his age be this muscular? It wasn't fair!

The evil jerk was killing her with kindness that confused her. He was the reason she got blisters. He forced her on this march, yet he also had Yao treat them and let her share his saddle. She felt so confused. She needed to hate him. His father butchered her people. So why couldn't she?

"Ah, it's about to appear," Ivan said, warm breathe touch her nape. He pointed ahead as they crested the gap. "Our home."

She gaped at the wide valley. A river snaked through it, a patchwork of farms quilted the sides. Further past, on the jutting knee of a mountain stood a city of buildings stacked in tiers and at the very top of a great cliff of black rock stood Castle Black.

"That is Castle Black?" she blurted out.

"All of this belongs in my domain," Ivan said, waving a hand at the long U-shaped valley. "This is the Valley of the Iron Curtain."

"This belongs to you?"

"Well, the King first. All lands belong to him. But this is my fiefdom."

"But you're so young. A kid can rule a kingdom?"

He chuckled. "Well, the administration is left to advisors, but yes I am the ruler here."

She gaped, taking it all in, the towers and pinnacles and conical roofs of Castle Black.

"The blue sky doesn't suit it," Amelia said.

"What do you mean?"

"It looks so bleak. Dark storm clouds and lashing lightening would fit it."

Ivan did not respond to that.

And they made their way to Castle Black, Amelia's new home.


	5. Naked Truth

Moonlight glittered on the dark surface of the wide Gulag river. It snaked beside them. Ahead loomed the open town gates, lit by the torches that soldiers held while standing in front of it.

A boy approached, holding a glass lantern in front of him. The closer he came, the clearer his form. He had choppy, dark brown hair that fell to his jaw. He looked about fourteen. Flickering candlelight highlighted his light brown eyes, almond-shaped like Yao's. He resembled Yao except for the thick eyebrows.

His oversized sleeves hung from a burgundy coat, one with buttons down the sides. He wore dark brown breeches.

"Ah, Lia Xiao, you look well," Yao called when the boy was close enough.

They both bowed, but Lia bowed lower.

"Master Yao, we spotted you from a distance and prepared the castle for your arrival." His eyes flickered to Amelia and then back to Yao. "We've prepared food and a bathe."

"Well done. I can't wait to be clean."

"Ah, how bath sounds nice," Ivan agreed.

Bath? She swallowed hard.

Xiao glanced again at Amelia. "I prepared two bathes. Should I have prepared more?"

"No need." Amelia relaxed. Good. They would not bathe her. "This is Alfred Jones, Lord Ivan's new pet."

"Nice to meet you," Amelia said.

Xiao lifted one of his immense eyebrows and then lower his head slight and said, "Nice to meet you as well. I am Lia Xiao Chan of Hong Kong."

Xiao stepped between the horse and took the reins of Ivan and Yao's horses, leading both.

"You'll have to scrape off years of grime," Yao said to Amelia who froze, craning her head to stare at him. He ignored her for Xiao. "Have fresh clothes brought for this boy."

"Yes, Master Yao."

"B-But…" Amelia stammered. "I'm not bathing."

Yao frowned. "Of course, you're bathing. Surely, you're people took bathes."

Mind race, heart pounding, Amelia tried to think fast. She twisted in her saddle to peer at Ivan.

"I'll bathe alone right?" she asked nervously.

Ivan gave that small, sweet smile of his.

"Bathe alone?" Yao said with indignation. "Who do you think you are? How dare you make such a request!"

"With you?" Amelia gaped.

Ivan's smile widened. "Da! The hot water will feel nice on your skin. I could never bathe with my sisters. Although my younger often tried to sneak into my bathe. Company will be nice."

The color drained from her face. She grabbed at her chest, feeling light-headed.

"What's wrong?" Ivan asked, touching her shoulder. "It's only a bathe."

"Are you sick again?" Yao asked. "You look as pale as a ghost."

"Gh-ghost?" she squeaked, glancing at him, feeling dizzy.

"You're shaking. Is the fever back?" Ivan asked.

She shook her head vigorously.

"I can't… bathe…" she managed, throat closing. She could not finish the 'with you'.

He would find out.

"Can't bathe?" Yao scoffed. "Can't bathe? It's not hard. It's soap and water!"

"No…" Amelia said, lower lip trembling. "I…it's… the naked!"

Ivan tensed. She blushed all over.

"What?" Yao asked at the same time as Ivan.

"I'm… uh… my people… don't… uh…" she searched for a reason and said the first one that came to mind. "Don't believe in naked!"

"Don't believe in naked?" Yao stared at her skeptically.

Xiao glanced up in curiosity, cheeks pinked.

"It's a sin," Amelia explained.

"To be naked?" Ivan said, leaning around so their eyes could meet.

"With others. You can't bathe naked before others."

"Then how did you share bathes?" Yao asked. "Did you bathe in your clothes? Surely, boys bathed with boys and girls bathed with girls."

"Never. It is written in the… good book…" she lied, "That only kin and thou married folk shall gazeth upon the nakedth."

"Nonsense!" Yao sniffed. "That sounds made up."

"I beg you. I'll be cast into hell if I am naked before others!" she pleaded, lowering her head. She hoped they bought it.

There was a long pause, then Ivan said to Yao, "Didn't you mention that her folk were quite puritanical?"

"Well… yes," Yao said. "But I had no idea. Boys can't bathe together if they aren't related?"

"I don't make the rules," Amelia said.

"Well, Lord Ivan does," Yao said defiantly. "You have no right to ask for your own bath."

Her heart hammered, and she looked at Ivan who seemed deep in thought. He tilted his head from side to side, as if debating something intensely in his head. Finally, he straightened.

"Let him bathe alone," Ivan said.

Xiao's eyes widened. Yao's mouth fell open.

"My lord, this is a slave."

"He's my pet, and he seems terrified," Ivan said, squeezing Amelia's shoulder. "We'll sort it out at a later time, but for tonight I will accommodate this request."

Her heart soared. They bought it! It seemed too good to be true.

"Very well, Xiao hurry to the castle and have another bathe prepared and ready clothes for the pet," Yao said, sounding steamed.

"R-right, Master Yao."

Xiao let go of the reins and took off running to the waiting soldiers.

"Ridiculous," Yao continued to mutter, loud enough to be heard. "Spoiling a slave. There is nothing wrong with sharing a bathe or nudity."

There was when you had a secret like Amelia's.

"Thank you, my lord," Amelia said.

"Are you happy?"

"Y-yes," Amelia said, confused why Ivan cared.

"Then I am happy. Repay my kindness with loyalty," Ivan said. "Besides, I'm sure I'll change your mind sooner or later."

She gulped. What did he mean?


	6. Lessons

Ivan had ordered one of his elite bodyguards to carry Amelia, bridal-style, at Yao's insistence. She hated every bit of it, most of all she hated feeling like a damsel-in-distress.

At least Ivan removed the collar before he and Yao went elsewhere.

Now it was just her, the elite, and Lia Xiao Chang who stayed ahead, guiding them through the castle's maze of corridors, staircases, and hallways. The light of his lantern bopped up and down the walls, sometimes revealing battle scenes depicted in numerous tapestries and strange faces of long-dead nobles in portraits.

The castle smelled dusty and damp the deeper they went.

Peeking through her bangs, she glanced again at the elite's strange eyes. They gleamed red like fresh blood from a cut. She had never seen such a man before, so pale. His helmet and face guard his nose and mouth. He looked like an albino.

Unlike the other soldiers, he never responded with a "Yes, my lord," to orders. He never said a word.

He glanced at her with those wild, crimson eyes and she quickly looked ahead at Xiao. The young man had a long neck, and small ears. His similarities to Yao suggest blood ties. Was he really just Yao's apprentice?

Xiao pointed down a dark, bare hallway lined with doors. "The kitchens are this way."

As they headed down, a door opened. A female servant saw the trio and disappeared back behind the door, fear naked in her eyes, and it wasn't of Amelia who she barely looked at in that brief instant.

"Life in Castle Black will be very pleasant," Xiao said over his shoulder. "Lord Ivan is a kind master who spoils his pets."

"Then why do they try to escape?" she asked.

"I don't think it's because of cruel treatment," Xiao said. "It's because he tends to pick spirited pets, the stubborn kind that like to fight and resist. If he'd pick more docile ones, it wouldn't happen."

She remembered Ivan's words: _the most difficult to tame are the most worthwhile_.

"How many pets has he had before me?" she asked, irked to refer to herself as a 'pet'.

"Human?" Xiao said, tilting his head in thought. "He's only had two humans. I only started living here two years ago. However, I've heard it all started with a bird."

"Bird?"

"Yes," Xiao continued. "A peppy little thing that pecked at him when he found it injured in the North Garden. He had just arrived here, and was very lonely, and missing his sisters terribly.

Master Yao said Ivan was a nightmare before he found his pet. Always acting up and causing mischief. However, he became very manageable when had his pet. He nursed it back to health. Then one day, it tried to fly away. So he put it in a cage, said the wilderness was too dangerous, and showered attention on it."

"Did it eventually escape?"

"No, it died a few months later in captivity. Lord Ivan was devastated."

"It died?" Amelia felt her heart sink again.

"Some birds don't like cages. Unfortunately, Ivan likes those type."

"Why? Does he like taking away their freedom?" she asked bitterly.

Xiao gave her a look, then keep his gaze ahead. "Master Yao wanted me to warn you of some rules. His Majesty will give gifts, he'll dote on you, and you should always thank him. Never ask for freedom. Do you understand?"

He said the last part harshly.

"But…" she stopped herself from finishing. _I already did_. _He promised_.

"Wipe any thought of escape from your head. His majesty gets upset when his pets try that."

"He gets upset?" Amelia scoffed.

"There is no escape from here. Even if you escaped the castle, no one in town will harbor you. His majesty will make sure they know your face. And this valley is impossible to escape when snows clog the passes. Accept your new life as an adored pet. You will have many privileges and comforts others would kill for."

Amelia's jaw tightened. She wanted to argue.

They descended a spiral staircase. Smells of cooking meats and baking breads wafted up.

"Are you and Yao related?" she asked, voice echoing slightly.

"Ah, you noticed, did you?" Xiao smiled over his shoulder. "We're half brothers."

At the bottom of the stairs was a door. Xiao knocked on it. An eye slot slid back, and two beady eyes saw Xiao, then shut it. After the sound of latches being undone, the wooden door was thrown open, and they entered the kitchens, a long room of several roasting bits, and long tables that servants prepared food on. The room was full of hustle and bustle.

Her stomach growled at the sight of meat roasting over fire pits, bread baking in ovens, and meals being prepared on tables. Servants scrambled to and fro, giving the trio a wide berth. They threw fearful looks at Xiao and the soldier, most of all they seemed afraid of Xiao.

They passed down a stone staircase, lit by candles glowing in nooks, and halted before an arched door with a wooden stool next to it.

"Place him here," Xiao said, gesturing at the stool as he set the lantern on the floor. "Then go wait at the top of the stairs for me, Gilbert."

Gilbert? That was the soldier's name, she realized.

After setting Amelia on the stool, Gilbert gave a short bow and headed back up the stairs.

"Gilbert is very quiet," Amelia said, startled to see Xiao had a small knife in his hand. Where did he pull that from?

"Oh, him," Xiao said, dropping to one knee. He waved for her to place her left foot in his palms. After she did so, he began slicing away the bandages that went to her knee. He had a gentle, sturdy touch. "He can't talk."

"Why not?"

"General Winter had his tongue torn out with pliers," Xiao said without looking up.

She swallowed hard, feeling cold in her gut. "He…" She glanced the way Gilbert had left.

"I never knew him when could talk, but I heard he never shut up. He mouthed off to Winter. Bad idea," Xiao said, tossing the bandages aside. "Winter gave him a choice. His tongue or his…" he cleared his throat, "five meters."

"Five meters?"

Xiao's pinks cheeked, and he looked embarrassed. "Doesn't matter. Gilbert chose his tongue. Good news…your foot doesn't look that bad."

She leaned forward, happy to see the blister wounds scabbing over. "Master Yao is a very good healer. I've never seen someone with his skills."

"He has many talents," Xiao agreed, waving for her other foot. He started to cut away the other bandages. "The bath is beyond that door. Water has been heated. Normally hot water is carried up to the bailey for his majesty's bath. Servants rotate, and are allowed hot bathing water in here once a week. You are being given a privilege to have it all to yourself.

Clean clothes are inside. Dress yourself. I'll return in half an hour. Sit here and wait until I clean your wounds and put the bandages back on. Lord Ivan doesn't want you to lose your feet. It would be terribly inconvenient for everyone. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Yes, Xiao Chang," he corrected, grabbing her jaw and forcing her to look at him. "Understand?"

"Yes, Xiao Chang," she said coldly.

"You should smile when you answer to Ivan," Xiao said. "He likes cheerful pets. Not gloomy ones. If Ivan's happy, then Yao's happy. Then we're all happy. We like to be happy. Understand?"

"Yes, Xiao Chang."

"Say it again with a smile. Let me believe you're happy."

She forced her lips up and bared her teeth in a grin. "Yes, Xiao Chang."

"Yes, but don't sound like you plan to tear out my throat with your teeth."

"Yes, Xiao Chang!" she said with all the cheer she could muster.

"Very good," Xiao said, releasing her. She dropped her smile. He pointed at her with the tip of his tiny knife. "With a smile like that, you'll go far. Ivan is weak to happy grins. Yours is like bottled sunshine. You might be the most cherished out of all his pets."

"What an honor," she muttered, sarcasm dripping in her voice.

"Drop the attitude," he warned. "At least around Master Yao and Lord Ivan. I don't mind your honest."

"Good, because I honestly don't like you."

"Aw, that breaks my heart," he said, jutting out his lower lip in a pout and clutching a fist over his heart. "That's disappointing. I was hoping we could be friends. Are you angry because I told the truth and not want you wanted to hear?"

"What're you training me to do."

"Only towards Lord Ivan and Master Yao," he said with a smile that tilted his eyes downward. "But you can confide in me. In this place take any ally you can get."

"I'll think about it," she said.

"You can cry in the bathe," he said, touching her cheek and leaning close. "You look like you need to." His smile returned, showing the bottom row of teeth. It was like a snake smiling. "Just be happy when I return. Understand?"

"Yes, Xiao Chang!" she said loudly with a big smile. She blinked back tears. Her vision blurred, but her smile stayed fixed.

"Good," he said, standing up, dusting off his pants. "I like you already. I hope you succeed here. Forget the life you knew before. Forget freedom. That is over now. We are all prisoners here in this gilded cage."

She swallowed hard, smile straining. Hot tears slipped down her cheeks. Forget Maddy? She could never.

"Yes, Xiao Chang!"

"Enjoy your bathe. When I return you will dine with Lord Ivan. He will share his favorite foods, and if you're smart, you'll make sure they're _your_ favorite foods as well. Understand?"

"Yes, Xiao Chang!"

"Good," he waved without looking back as he walked off. "You'll go far here, Jones."

"That sly bastard," she muttered under breath when she was gone, she furiously scrubbed away her tears.

Wincing at the pain, she stood up and hobbled to the door, turning the handle and pushing it open. A blast of moist, warm air hit her face and she limped toward the wooden tub on the far side. The cramped room was lit with candles in the nooks. There was soap and fresh clothes.

And Amelia did cry. A lot.


End file.
